The Darker Garden
by Jan Lee
Summary: SHORT STORY. Kiba and Akamaru work with Ino on a child abduction case. They all discover that not every garden is planted with flowers. Kiba-centric, Kiba/Ino.
1. PART ONE

**DISCLAIMER: **I don't own Naruto. *sigh*

**RATING: M, **adult themes and situations, some sex at the end (of the story).

**A/N: **I know, I _know_. Finish "Catching". I can't help it. I've had this one sitting on my hard-drive, just waiting to be published. So I called its number. Hope you enjoy! =)

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**~ The Darker Garden ~**

**PART ONE**

**"For this assignment,** you'll be teamed with Yamanaka Ino." Lady Hokage's brown eyes held the hint of a challenge, almost like she dared Kiba to complain. "She'll be the liaison. Meaning," she clarified, "she'll talk to the parents and examine the missing girl should she be found. Do you understand your assignment?"

He nodded. "Yes'm. When do we leave?"

"Immediately. Pick up Ino at the hospital. She'll be waiting."

"Yes'm. Is that everything?"

"I only remind you that the suspect is to be apprehended, not executed. He is assumed armed and dangerous, but you are to turn him over to local police officials and allow them to conduct their investigation." Lady Hokage hesitated. "For the record, you are to assist Ino and not provoke her. Understood?"

"I'll do my best."

At his comment, she smirked. "I know you always do. Dismissed."

Kiba exited the Hokage's office, holding open the door for Akamaru. Missing-persons reports were automatically assigned to the Inuzuka clan, but they'd been personally summoned by Lady Tsunade. Very rarely were they assigned a team, except for the occasional kidnapping.

_Yamanaka Ino, hunh?_ Akamaru said. They had found the stairs that wound down to street level. _Haven't had to work with her._

"Yeah, well, we don't exactly get along, do we?"

_Guess you'll have to learn. And besides,_ Akamaru paused so Kiba could hold open another door, _this mission must be a kidnapping._

"You noticed that too."

They were on the hot street, and to avoid the busy morning crowd, they hopped to the roofs for a clean path to the hospital. Already the heat was enough for a trickle of sweat to drip down his back; the scent of baked tar, so heavy, acrid, and the dry leaves and grass, filled his nostrils. Made him sorta reminiscent.

He hadn't faced Ino in a long, long time, not since they'd clobbered each other in the previous chuunin exams. She hadn't been a powerhouse like he'd been, but she had a serious genjutsu ability. The only reason he'd won was she'd mistaken Akamaru for _him_, used her body-switch jutsu, and too late saw Kiba's fist flying to her face.

Knocked her right outta Akamaru's body and into her own, where she went unconscious after a few minutes of some major class-A taijutsu from them both, ending the match. Since then, she'd made a point to hate his guts (vocally and acerbically) for beating her in her moment of triumph and delaying her promotion another few months.

Akamaru snorted as they launched over a gap between buildings. _Just as long as you two can behave, we'll be fine. Though, I _am_ surprised that Lady Hokage thought to pair you up with her._

"It had better be a good reason. Even if she is a chick, I won't be afraid to pop her one if she mouths off at me."

_Yeah, yeah. Just remember she can pop back if she wants._

"Heh. I think that's what I like best about 'er."

The buildings separated, and the giant rectangular hospital sat square in the middle of an open area, with neatly-kept vegetation and paint. Below, standing at the entrance was a blonde wearing purple and the green canvas of a standard-issue Konoha pack. She seemed to be searching for them, hand to her brow, and Kiba could see her squinting into the horizon. Taking a giant leap, they both landed a few feet from her. She turned, her hair whipping around, and narrowed her eyes.

"Ready?" she asked, her scent agitated.

Kiba couldn't resist teasing her. "What? No kiss hello? It's been such a long time, babe."

"Just so you know," her voice like ice, "I'm under strict orders to 'not be a bitch'. So consider _this_," and she flipped the bird at him, "my non-bitch response."

He smirked at her. "Is that so? I could've sworn that was an invitation."

"As if _you _could ever figure out which parts belonged where."

_Move on, _Akamaru advised him, _and stop instigating._

"Whatever, Yamanaka." He shrugged. "What's the plan? Lady Hokage told me you had the details and that we were assisting."

He'd said the right thing, at least. Her features neutralized, and she pulled out a small laminate booklet from her pack. She flipped a few pages and held it up to show him. It was a map of a region of Fire Country.

"This is the town we're going to." She pointed at a specific dot; then to his surprise, lowered it to Akamaru's level so he could see too. "We can get there easily enough by following the road north, and taking a road to the east."

"We'd cut time by going cross-country," he said, and couldn't help adding, "unless you wanna keep yer new heels clean."

Ino slapped shut the booklet and stepped closer so that she was about an inch away from him, glaring like a snake. A delicious zing shot up his chest, messing with his heart and his breathing. She smelled good, and he liked how her eyes were bright enough to reflect her anger.

"_I _am just as good a shinobi as _you._" She pushed at him, not hard, but enough to force him back a step. "And if you keep messing with me, you'll find out just how good I can _be_."

He got defensive then; he didn't like being pushed around. Just as he opened his mouth to retort, she spun on her heel and started jogging along the sidewalk. She'd already bounced to the rooftops before he snapped into action, chasing after her, Akamaru at his side. Had she really been angry at him, or was she only retaliating for his insult?

"I need to stop by my place for my pack," he said, drawing up beside her.

She shook her head. "I dropped by your house and was able to talk to your mom. She helped pack enough supplies for all of us. The trip shouldn't take more than a half-day or day at the most to get there anyway."

Wow. He definitely hadn't expected that- -both her forethought and her informative answer. "Thanks."

Ino glanced across her shoulder at him. Looked like she wasn't sure what he'd said, but ended up replying, "Sure. You're welcome."

_Much better, _Akamaru barked. _See? Playing nice isn't hard, is it?_

Kiba laughed and concentrated on evening his strides to match Ino's. They traveled this way in stern silence. Ino must be brooding, he thought. Thinking about the fight she lost to him, or thinking about what an ass he was to her all time.

And speaking of asses, hers was _nice._ The fabric of her skirt not too loose, but tight enough to show a tight set of buns that curved nicely with hips and thigh. She had such a slender figure, bird-like and more delicate than he considered possible. Had she truly gone toe-to-toe with him in the arena?

He suppressed an impulse to slip his hand under the hem of her skirt and grab that soft flesh, just give it a good squeeze or smack. Bet she looked great in a thong…and _shit_, he needed to stop thinking like a pervert. But the flash of toned stomach and pretty shoulders drew his eyes, tempting his thoughts to stray. Not too soon, they stopped for a rest break and a quick lunch at about noon. Kiba caught Ino rubbing and rolling her shoulders.

"You okay?" he asked, eying the pack that sat by her side.

It bulged and had made an unusually loud _thud _when it hit the ground. His gear was heavier since he had Akamaru's stuff _and _his stuff to carry around; Ino's back and shoulders wouldn't be used to the extra weight. Forever competitive and tough, she wouldn't complain or risk looking weak compared to him.

"Yeah, fine. Why?"

"Just checking," he said.

"I'd let you know if something's wrong."

He snorted. "No, you won't."

"Hey! I _would _too, if it was important. Believe it or not," she added, "I trust you with my life."

The truth in her words matched the truth in her eyes, and he stared at her, trying to figure where the hell that moment of honesty had come from. She cocked her head, smiled, and stood to tuck away their water and trash into the pack. Her round tush beckoned him, the line of her legs, the curve of her back. He'd love to pass his hand down her spine, and when heat collected in the pit of his stomach, he turned to scratch Akamaru under his chin.

Kiba could not be attracted to a girl he'd pounded into the dirt, who treated him as her own personal life's obstacle. But he was. Inexplicably. Mom had warned him that some day, out of nowhere, he'd be hit by attraction, and that's when he'd have to be cautious. Didn't help that her scent tempted him to bury his face in her crotch and inhale. Best thing to do was try not to think about it.

"Let's go," Ino interrupted him. He watched as she hoisted the backpack and, grunting, swung it to her back. "We still have a few more hours to travel."

"What happens when we get to the town?"

"We locate and meet the family, then get to work."

"Sounds good, cupcake." Then, when conscience prickled, he grabbed her elbow before she sprung to the trees. She huffed at his contact. "Let me carry the backpack."

"_What?_ I got it."

Of course she wouldn't just hand the damn thing over. He put pressure on the top of one of her shoulders, testing the bone that supported the strap. Ino winced, slapping away his hand, and Kiba had his answer- -he didn't say anything more, but waited for her argument. She looked like she would snap at him, but sighed and struggled out of the pack even with his help. When he finally adjusted it comfortably, he felt like he'd fall over backwards.

"Thank you for letting me be nice to you," he said finally, firmly tongue in cheek, when they had eased into traveling speed, whipping through branches and leaves.

"Shut up," she said. "I hate nice people." He detected wry humor in her answer.

Somehow that small interaction broke the ice, and their silence was comfortable until the outskirts of the town. When they arrived, the first thing Kiba noticed was how uproarious the people were even in the late evening. Not necessarily drunk, though Kiba detected plenty of booze, but dancing and loud music. Games and races had audiences wound around on the sidewalks and packing balconies and doorways. He, Ino, and Akamaru avoided the street level, opting instead to travel over the housetops.

"Guess we've been missing the party," he said, looking down on the revelry from the edge of a roof. "Wonder what they're all celebrating?"

"Hn. Looks like a town thing." Ino stepped behind him. "Hold still"- -he heard a zipper, felt Ino tug at something, and an "Ah!"

He glanced across and found her intently studying the same laminate booklet as before. Curious to see what had her so focused, he leaned over her shoulder, catching a whiff of her hair as he did so. She had written an address on one side of the page and a brief sketch of the town on the other side showed their destination.

"This is where the Takahashi family lives," she pointed to a part of the sketch. "We'll be heading there now."

Kiba plucked the booklet from her hands, "What other important information is in this thing?" and flipped through it.

"Hey!" She grabbed for it, but Kiba evaded her hand. "Give that back! Kiba!"

He enjoyed the feisty way she lunged forward, the frustration showing in her eyes and scent, how easy she was to get riled up. The game lasted a minute. Then he did _not _enjoy her stomping her foot on his and jamming an elbow in his stomach. She snatched the booklet back as he doubled over, grunting with pain and fighting for air.

"No…fair," he wheezed.

Beside him, Akamaru chuckled. _Careful. Don't wanna piss her off too much._

When he recovered from the pain Ino had inflicted, he noticed she'd taken out a compass. She turned a little, checked the needle, turned a little more, checked again. Then she compared the compass to the map and pointed.

"This way." She glared at him. "Let's go. Daylight's burning." Off she hopped, tucking compass and booklet into her hip-pouch.

His team arrived in short order to the address in Ino's booklet. The sounds of celebration were distinctive- -but in the darkening, quiet area the Takahashi family resided- -not disruptive. The neighborhood seemed well-kept, with half-fences around gently sloping lawns, flowerbeds, and carefully manicured bushes and trees. Houses were split-level, from the looks of them, constructed of various stones. The Takahashi residence was no exception.

Ino faced him. "Let _me _do the talking. Quite frankly, people here are finicky of shinobi as it is. One wrong move, one wrong word, and their trust in us snaps. Got it?" She glanced at Akamaru. "And make sure _he's _behaved."

"Didja want us to wait at the end of the yard? Put us on a leash, maybe," he snapped, "for all the good it'll do us to step inside the house?"

"No, you have to come in. You'll need to be there anyway to sniff around, duh."

"Great. Anything else?"

"Be pleasant," she told him firmly, before moving up the walk to the front door and ringing the doorbell.

Yeah, sure. 'Be pleasant' as if he wasn't pleasant only _all the time._ Kiba exchanged a look with Akamaru, who licked his hand in encouragement, and as they stepped behind Ino, the door opened to an older lady, probably about early forties. She wore a plain-colored dress and shaw, and her hair had been cut short into a dark-peppered-white cap.

"Oh, hello. Can I help you?" Her eyes shifted to Kiba, and instantly he smelled her alarm. Her stress took shape in her words. "Who are you?"

"Hello. Is this the Takahashi residence?"

The woman shrank away. "Yes," she answered slowly. "I'm Mrs. Takahashi."

"My name is Yamanaka Ino." Ino's voice was polite as she gestured. "This is my partner Inuzuka Kiba and his dog, Akamaru."

Kiba nodded. "Ma'am."

"It's very nice to meet you," Ino continued, regardless of the cold stare from Mrs. Takahashi. "We are the shinobi from the Hidden Leaf village assigned to your missing-persons case. May we enter, please?"

"Dear!" Mrs. Takahashi called over her shoulder. "Those people you requested are here! I'm sorry," she said, stiffly, "but we don't allow animals in our home."

Kiba opened his mouth to tell her to go to hell, but somehow Ino knew, because she elbowed him in the stomach a _second _time that day. He closed his mouth, his teeth clicking together.

Ino smoothed it over. "Don't worry, ma'am. Akamaru will stay on the front porch if that will make you more comfortable."

His Inuzuka ears heard pattering footsteps over a wooden floor, and a man who matched in age Mrs. Takahashi came into the entrance hallway.

"No, no," he said, eyes crinkling with a smile, "we must include all our guests, birdie. Let the lad bring in his pet."

_Pfffft. Pet? If only they knew…_Akamaru said, popping his ears. _I'll probably take up the entire living room floor._

Mr. Takahashi continued. "Well, birdie! Let the good folks in!"

Mrs. Takahashi did not look pleased as she stepped aside, opening the door to allow Ino, Kiba, and Akamaru through. Her distrust bred paranoia in Kiba and he glanced around the quaint hall, decorated with what could only be described as rustic paintings- -farmhouses, landscapes- -and wooden carvings of birds. The wallpaper was peeling at the seams, having probably been up since the house'd been built.

His ears and his nose did not pick up any immediate threats, but Kiba chose to remain on alert status as Mr. Takahashi led them to a tiny sitting room, if only tiny because Kiba and Akamaru immediately took up a large portion of it. He shrugged off the backpack and set it to the side for later. As predicted, Akamaru became the new living room rug.

"Mr. Takahashi, I'm Yamanaka-"

"Ino," Mr. Takahashi interrupted, "Kiba, and," he gestured, eyes twinkling, "Akamaru. Yes, I heard you in the hallway. Welcome to my home. And please, call me Taka."

"Thank you for having us, Mr. Taka," Ino replied. Ignoring the impulse to roll his eyes at her excessive formalities, Kiba settled back on the sofa next to Ino and observed. "I understand this must be a very trying time for you and Mrs. Takahashi. We will do our best to bring your daughter back to you safe and sound."

Taka nodded. "Yes, thank you. Before we begin, let's have some tea, shall we? Birdie?" he called his wife, who came to stand at the entrance to the living room, "Make up some tea for our guests."

'Birdie' nodded curtly, disappeared. Movement caught Kiba's attention; Akamaru, too, and he tilted his head. The movement was not caused by Birdie, who was in the kitchen now, shuffling, but by someone smaller and younger and was coming from the dark stairs at the end of the hallway.

Ino noticed both of their attention. "Mr. Taka. Is there someone else in the house besides you and your wife?"

"Yes. My youngest daughter, Kana." Taka's stress increased at an alarming rate. "Why? Is there something wrong?"

Kiba shook his head at Ino, whose eyes had been on him the entire time. No, nothing was wrong. Ino assured Taka and began asking some questions that hadn't been answered in the report. Half-listening, Kiba kept watching the stairs. He saw Kana shifting in the shadows as she eavesdropped, and when Mrs. Takahashi passed with the tea, she reprimanded Kana and told her to get up to bed. Quiet footsteps, missed before in the general movement of the house, tiptoed up the stairs and into another room. A door closed.

Ino and Taka discussed some other details over tea, during which Taka also handed them a photo of the missing person, Kaia. Kaia was a cute girl, probably about eleven or twelve years old, with big brown eyes and hair that curled around her face. The cynical side in him recognized why Kaia had been abducted. Any old perverted dude would find the young girl delectable.

"Mr. Taka, thank you for your help," Ino said. Kiba tuned in as it seemed things were wrapping up, "and now it's time to continue our investigation. Kiba will need access to Kaia's room. If you would show us the way, please?"

"Oh, certainly, and thank you so much." Taka rose from his seat and moved to the stairs. "Please, follow me."

Kiba picked up the pack, swinging it on one shoulder and with Akamaru and Ino behind him, followed Taka up the stairs. The stairs leveled out into a deep hallway. If he was correct, Kana's room was on the right. Either the room straight ahead or the room on the left was Kaia's. Taka opened the door to the room on the left and flipped the switch to the lights, standing back to let Kiba through the doorway.

The room was typical for a twelve-year old girl. Frilly, pink, purple, posters of boys, stuffed animals and various memorabilia cluttered the bed, shelves and floor. Kaia's unmade bed sat flush against a window against the far wall. A pink stuffed rabbit peeked out from under the covers.

"Has anything been disturbed in the room, Mr. Taka?" Ino asked when Kiba moved out of the way.

"No. Everything is where it was when we discovered her missing."

Kiba charged his nose with chakra and immediately picked up Kaia's stale, adolescent scent. There was the heavy linger of chloroform on the bed. Some sort of faint, rank odor spread under everything. His bet was on the window; the kidnapper had probably drugged Kaia and dragged her out, using a ladder or rope to get away.

Akamaru sniffed rapidly at the bed, nostrils flaring. _You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?_

Kiba nodded, unwilling to break the calm over the Takahashis.

Ino had moved to the wall where several pictures had been hung. "We may need a comfort object. A toy or a blanket?"

"That bunny in her bed. She sleeps with it every night. Do you need it?"

"Yes. It may help to calm her down when we find her." Ino stepped around Kiba to grab the toy. Then she turned to him, her eyes hard. "Kiba? What do you think?"

"Let's check out the backyard."

Taka, again, led the way. Kiba's cynicism had heard the hopeful tone and the words that Ino and Taka used to describe Kaia: _when _we find her; _sleeps _every night; this _is _her room. Not a past-tense verb in the lot. Once outside, Kiba felt less enclosed. The house had been too…narrow for his tastes, and Akamaru trotted immediately to the area under Kaia's window, nose low to the ground. Ino had him waiting as she tucked the rabbit into his pack.

"Like this thing's heavy enough," he said, adjusting a strap over his shoulder.

She tugged it. "Don't complain, Inuzuka. It doesn't suit you."

He felt his smirk crawl across his face. "When didja become an expert on what suits me, eh, Yamanaka?"

If she had a comeback, she was cut off by Akamaru's barking. Kiba heard his dog's change in breathing, from gentle snuffing to quick, heavy pants. Akamaru had found a trail.

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**A/N:** Expect the next chapter soon. It's already written, but I might post it after I finish writing the chapter for "Catching". We'll see how it goes. Thanks for reading! =)


	2. PART TWO

**A/N: **Okay, so I missed the deadline for "Catching". Here's me making it up to you, but "Catching" 26 _is_ on its way. Sort of. Anyway, please enjoy this offering in the meanwhile. =)

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**~ The Darker Garden ~**

**PART TWO**

"What's going on?" Taka looked between Akamaru and Kiba with confusion. "Is everything all right?"

Ino was quick to interrupt. "Yes, everything's fine. They're just doing their jobs." She guided Taka by the arm to the backdoor. "Now, please, leave the rest to us. Be with your family. We'll report back to you in the morning or as soon as we find something."

_Kiba! Kiba!_ Akamaru bounded back and forth. _It's here! Here it is!_

He confirmed the trail of Kaia's scent (still laced with chloroform) and that taint of rancidness. Ino drew up next to him, gazing at Akamaru with amazement.

"You ready for the hunt, blondie?" He tugged her ponytail just because he liked messing with her. "When we go, we go fast."

Ino's scent had changed, powered with determination and the ozone scent of chakra. "Yeah. Let's do this." She didn't slap his hand away or even glare at him for touching her hair. Like she had accepted his gesture.

Then Akamaru shot off into the trees. Kiba amped up the chakra in his feet and charged after him, smelt Ino behind him. The three of them darted over rooftops and through branches, following the trail of scent that stained the ground.

They wound through the neighborhood, and when the scent edged closer to the busy town, Kiba figured there would be a problem with the sheer volume of scents permeating the streets. Apparently, Kaia's kidnapper had not wanted to bother with other people, so had taken several back alleys, which led them to the outer walls of the town and into the surrounding forest.

Their pace was heart-pounding fast, flying though the dark branches with barely a leaf stirring. The moonlight streamed through the canopy, blanketing the forest with gentle, dim light, and after long minutes, they came up short at a little clearing in the trees, lit by a solitary fire in a pit. Kiba's eyes noticed the shitty shack erected with corrugated tin, wood, and cement blocks. He heard weight shifting over warped boards, smelt that disgusting stink saturating the surrounding air, overpowering Kaia's scent leaking from the shack.

_Here, _Akamaru said. _She's in that._

Ino squinted beside him. "Is that…?"

"Yeah," he agreed. "I figure two of us should draw him out and the other goes for the girl."

"You and Akamaru would be the better distraction." Her face, in the dark, was calm. "I'll get Kaia."

"Sounds good," he replied.

"And remember," she continued, "don't-"

"Execute 'im. Got it."

He exchanged a glance with Akamaru and prepped a hop to the forest floor, but Ino grabbed his shoulder. "Watch your feet. I have a bad feeling he might have traps set up."

"Don't worry," he said, clucking her under her chin, "we have this in hand."

Akamaru preceded him to the ground, the chorus and buzz of insects masking their footfalls. Kaia's fear seeped up into his nostrils, but at least she was still alive, and like Ino said, there were spots of pooled scent where traps had obviously been rigged.

Akamaru sniffed around one of them. _Set this one off, maybe? I'll be the distraction and you can get him from behind?_

He nodded, withdrawing a kunai to take careful aim at the half-covered trap. Flicking the kunai took a sharp snap of his wrist. _CLANK!_ With perfect timing, Akamaru howled in feigned agony, and Kiba used transformation jutsu to make his dog look maimed in the trap.

"YEE-HAW!" A man's voice resounded from the shack. "We gots some dinner!"

Carefully, Kiba shrank back against a tree, blending carefully in the deep shadows. He heard a creak, saw the door to the shack open. A sloppy-looking man bobbled out, a huge potbelly straining against his shirt. Slacks were baggy and half undone, and strange stains decorated the clothes in darkened patterns. Kiba's nose monitored Ino's scent- -she'd taken up position on the other side of the shack, holding still.

Akamaru put up a racket as the kidnapper shuffled closer, using a flashlight to search for the source of the noise. He came to Akamaru. Nerves prickled along Kiba's back when he saw the manic glint in the guy's eyes, his utter glee at finding a living, squirming creature in a trap.

"There, there, pretty doggy," he crooned, causing Kiba's stomach to flip, "you're a big beast, aren't you? Don't you worry, Uncle Lester'll take good care of you. I take…"

Ino had made her move; he saw the flash of white-blonde hair as she entered the shack. Akamaru growled and before Kiba could wave him off, his dog snapped the transformation jutsu, lunging at Lester with fangs and fierce eyes. Lester shrieked, stumbled back. He'd half-raised his arm in defense; Akamaru sank all his teeth into the flesh of the forearm, splattering blood across his muzzle. Lester's other hand swung around.

Oh, _hell_ no, Kiba thought, catching the glint of blade just in time. He dove out of hiding. One hand stopped the descent of a sword, clamping on meaty wrist, and in a smooth movement, he broke the bone. Lester stumbled, encouraged with Kiba's elbow to the back of the head and Akamaru's persistent biting. The guy squirmed, but several efficient blows stilled him. Perverted rat-bastard. After that, Kiba disarmed, bound and gagged Lester with few problems. He felt faintly greasy from handling the sweaty, doughy body.

"Kiba!" Ino's call shattered the triumph. "Kiba, come quick!"

"Guard the prisoner," Kiba told Akamaru, and with a hard glare at Lester, "and if he tries anything, rip out his fucking throat."

_Leave it to me, _the dog growled after him.

He rushed to the shack, swinging open the door, and caught Ino as she stumbled into his arms, dazed. She bled from her temple.

"Ino! Wha- -?"

"Kaia ran off into the woods! We have to get her before she hurts herself!"

"Let's go," he said, finding Kaia's panicked scent without much trying. Ino, herself, was upset and anxious, the copper of blood tainting the air. "This way."

They moved as one along the ground, and he felt Ino's caution in stepping exactly where he stepped; she shouted for Kaia every now and again, but Kiba had the bad feeling the girl wasn't listening to reason. She'd run the opposite direction from her hometown, deeper into the woods. But as they continued following her trail, Kiba noticed that a path had been worn into the grass and undergrowth through the forest.

"Is it me, or is it getting colder?" Ino whispered. She shivered. "_Kaia! Kaia, we're here to help!_"

She was right. The air temperature dipped. Less and less of the trees had full leafage overhead, instead adopting a bald, gnarled look. Many of the trees had been struck by lightning or had rotted out. Kaia's scent-trail led him to one of these rotted out tree trunks.

"There," he said, gesturing. "She's hiding from us."

Ino nodded. "The best way to calm her down is to let her feel like she can control the situation." Her hands went to the backpack and dug out the stuffed rabbit. "Let me approach her and stand back."

He watched as Ino edged up to the tree trunk. "Kaia? My name is Yamanaka Ino. I'm from the Hidden Leaf village." She crouched, wiping the blood from her head with the back of her hand. "I've come to take you home, Kaia."

"_NO!" _Kaia's terror and tears were painful._ "GET AWAY!"_

"Your parents are worried, Kaia. They asked me and my partner, Inuzuka Kiba, to help find you." Ino held up the bunny in her hands. "See, your mom and dad let us have this in case you were scared. Would you like it?"

A long pause. Then, "Y-yes."

Ino reached down into the hole and withdrew her hand. "Are you cold? We have a blanket out here for you. And something to eat if you're hungry."

"_How do I believe you're Leaf ninja?_"

Kiba unknotted his hitai-ate and passed it to Ino, her eyes appreciative. "Here," she said, dangling it at the dark opening, "this is a forehead protector only Leaf ninja can obtain."

A small hand snatched the hitai-ate from Ino's loose grip. The wind shifted and Kiba picked up…death. Death had different scents, especially depending on the _way _a living creature died. This death-scent was…old. Decayed, like molded clothing and hair and dead flesh. Goosebumps crawled over his skin.

"Ino, you stay here with Kaia," he said. "I'm gonna go check something out."

She nodded and he dumped the backpack to free up his shoulders. The smell, now that he'd detected it, came from ahead, straight to where the worn path led. Ino's soothing voice followed him and he made sure he stayed on alert. The forest had started to wear on his nerves, but he moved forward, feet leading him along the narrow path. After several minutes, he came to a small, open field. The moonlight hit a line of white stones.

He passed by the stones, the death-scent strongest here, counting to sixteen. Soil had been obviously disturbed in front of the sixteenth stone, like a hole had been dug. Right beside the mound, was a trench. Kiba's heart plunged to his stomach when his mind leapt to the terrifying conclusion.

Dropping to his knees, he used claws and fervor to dig the mound. Let him be wrong, _please, _let him be wrong. Five minutes or ten minutes or an hour passed, he didn't know, he only knew the digging, the shredding through the moist soil and flinging it away. When his nails scraped against something…slimy, gelatinous, he felt with his fingers, clearing away excess soil until the decayed skin shone in the moonlight. His discovery put chills down his back.

Oh, God. He'd been right.

Graves. Each of these stones was a marker for a grave. Seventeen victims of that…_monster's _sickness. Little Kaia had her grave already dug for her. He hadn't seen Kaia's terror-stricken face, but he'd scented her, had viewed the photograph that perfectly captured her youth and sweetness, gone forever because of some…unspeakable evil.

Everything in him raged for justice, to murder in cold-blood.

"_Kiba?_" Ino was near and she had Kaia. "Kiba, we have to go!"

But he couldn't tear his eyes from the half-uncovered body at his feet. The small arm-bones and delicate shoulders, the long dark hair that spilled under her skull. He heard Ino's approach, heard her murmur something, but he didn't care. His brain played through dozens of interesting and violent scenarios to extract retribution from these girls' murderer.

"That…that _monster,_" Ino gasped from his side. So she saw. "This is…so…" She trailed off.

I will kill him. The thought came to Kiba in a clear, calm tone. I will kill him and I'll do it myself with my hands. It would be easy. He'd set 'Lester' free 'by accident' and chase him and then get fingers around that turkey-neck and _squeeze_…

Ino's hand on his shoulder startled him. "We need to get Kaia to the hospital."

"You go ahead," he told her, clenching and unclenching his hands, "I'll stay here."

She hesitated. "No. That's not a good idea. We'll leave Akamaru here to guard…_him_ and we'll go together to town."

"So yer sayin'," Kiba stood and faced her, her pale skin and hair vivid, "you can't trust me?"

"I'm the least of your worries," she replied, and she gestured to Kaia, a small figure huddled in a blanket at the edge of the field, "_Kaia _doesn't trust you. I couldn't get her to come any closer."

"So what? All the more reason for you to take care of her and for me to take care of…him."

Ino stepped inside his personal space and tilted her head so that her mouth was next to his ear. He could hear her breathing and _smell _her and the anger became something different, but still violent as all hell.

"It's more than that," she whispered, running her hands up his sides and around to knead his shoulder blades. Her breath tickled his ear. "Her fear is of men. She can't live her life being afraid of all men."

He had nothing more to say, since Ino's lips mashed against his and her arms wrapped tight around him, spreading her warmth to his chest. Her mouth was warm, soft, and hungry. Some stiffness he hadn't noticed in his back eased, and before he could think too much about the kiss, she backed away, leaving him breathless and reeling. Then he watched, dumbstruck, as she gave a thumbs-up to Kaia, who waved back and returned the thumbs-up.

"Okay, Kiba," she said, "she trusts you now!"

"Wha- -?"

Brain didn't wanna work too well. So when Ino grabbed his arm and tugged him, he thoughtlessly followed. "She was afraid of you, so I made a deal with her that if I could prove that you were harmless, that she'd try to trust you."

"But…kissing me?" Not that he could _complain_…

She giggled. "Kaia's idea, not mine. OH," she said, cutting his thoughts off, "when you meet her, make sure you kneel so that you're at her level. You'll be even less intimidating."

"Ah, okay."

They had crossed the field quickly and were approaching Kaia, who had the blanket draped over her like a hooded cape. She smiled shyly, and when Ino knelt down with open arms, she rushed to hug her. Awkwardly, Kiba crouched, keeping beside Ino, but not too near so as not to overwhelm the girl. Kaia hid her face in Ino's neck.

"Kaia…this is Kiba," Ino said. "Aren't you going to say hello?"

Kaia whispered in Ino's ear. "Kiss him again!" She was adorable, not knowing he could hear her, and he felt a blush rise in his cheeks. He didn't feel embarrassed…instead, he felt…hopeful. Excited for kissing Ino.

Ino laughed. "If you say so," and then turned and leaned toward him.

She couldn't lean too far, so Kiba naturally put a hand flat on the ground and stretched his body out to meet her. This kiss was gentle, lasted for about three heartbeats, before Ino broke it off. Her eyes met his, heavy, and her smile was softly amused. Was Yamanaka Ino interested in him?

He watched as Kaia climbed on Ino's back, mashing the blanket around to accommodate the new position. Ino stood, twitching her head to flick the bangs out of her eyes, and began to walk down the path. Kiba knew Kaia probably weighed less than that bitch of a backpack, but still…he wanted to lift the burden from Ino's frail-looking shoulders. They walked past the place where Kaia had hidden, and he hoisted the backpack to his shoulders- -yep, weighed a shit-ton.

"Kiba," Ino said, interrupting the quiet air, "we're gonna avoid…_that place_ and go straight to town. You'll lead the authorities here and bring Akamaru back with you when you're finished."

He knew what 'that place' referred to- -Lester's shack and his…graveyard- -and he leveled a gaze at her. She didn't trust him around Lester, probably. Logically, it was the right thing to do. Kiba _would _kill Lester if left alone with that scum, but missing out on the opportunity to exact justice galled him.

"Who's…Akamaru?" Kaia asked quietly.

Ino answered. "That's Kiba's dog. They worked together to find you."

"Will I…be able to meet Akamaru? I love dogs!"

"Probably," Kiba said. "We'll be visiting your parents' house to finalize the investigation."

The wind shifted through the barren trees and with it, the stink of murderer pervaded Kiba's sensitive nose. And at that disgusting scent, his hands felt…suddenly…itchy, like fleas crawled all over his skin. Scratching at them didn't work. Neither did ignoring the itchiness, and in fact, his hands burned worse when he attempted to suppress the urge. The itching reminded him of the dead girl's bluish skin, her clouded eyes. Couldn't shake the horror of what happened to her.

Ino caught him frantically scratching, a question in her gaze.

"Can we…go faster?" he asked, thinking that maybe if he got away from that monster's rankness, the itching would fade. "You know…up in the trees?"

"Yeah, I _know _what you mean," Ino snapped. "Hang on tight, Kaia."

"Okay…" Kaia said.

Up they leapt as a single unit into the dark canopy. He pushed their pace, but he continued to pick up the stench, felt the itch under his skin, saw the row of white stones and the nameless girl's face. He wondered if her parents were anything like Kaia's parents, or if she'd been raised by her mother. Did she have a sister or brothers? What kind of school did she go to and did she have a lot of friends? What was her favorite color?

Each successive question sparked more anger, dredged up more grief, and he just _couldn't stand _the thought of a human being taking that life from another human. He'd been trained to take life, but his actions had justice in them. They were to protect the goodness and purity found in Kaia. In _children._

"_Kiba! Slow down!_" Ino's distant shout brought him up short.

His breathing came in short, harsh gasps, and sweat drenched his clothes, poured down his face. He'd forgotten he'd given Kaia his hitai-ate. Ino and Kaia were quite a distance from him, and he waited about a minute on his current tree branch for Ino to catch him. She was panting and shot him a cross look as she set a hand on the tree trunk so she could rest. He waited, attempting to steady his erratic respiration but failing. Hands itched so bad he wanted to chop them off.

"I know you're not okay," she said, after she controlled her panting, "but we need to stay together with this."

He snorted, glanced out to the inky forest. "I'm fine."

"_Don't lie to me,_" Ino snarled, clenching his jacket in her fist, "because I don't have time for it." She jerked him around, and he saw Kaia's eyes go wide when his back slammed against the tree trunk. "Get your shit together and _do this!_"

The wood was definitely _not _pleasant to his spine, and Kiba bared his teeth at Ino for causing him unnecessary pain. She didn't back down. They squared off in this manner until she dropped her hands from his jacket.

"Let's go," she said, weariness fraying her voice.

Had it not been for that tiredness, that unsaid plea for his cooperation, he would've gone rogue and killed the 'prisoner', to hell with the mission. But he didn't because he had others relying on him. One that _trusted _him with her _life_.

Ino took the lead and Kiba kept his eyes on Kaia's back, the blanket fluttering where it wasn't bunched up. Ino's blonde hair trailed behind her. Did he blow it with her? He had never been very good at controlling impulses; his murderous intent toward _him_ lingered, and his skin crawled and burned, repulsed by the dead flesh it had touched. Would he ever shake the feeling? The…dead eyes?

At long last, he and Ino breached the town walls. The time was nearing midnight and yet the town's celebratory spirit had not waned. Kiba conceded that these folks were quite the partying types. Maybe he'd join them to dull the past hours' horror. Some sake to ease his itchy hands…make that a _lot _of sake.

Ino slowed to a halt and waited for him to draw up beside her. "Can you take Kaia for a minute?" she whispered.

"Yeah, sure."

He stood at Ino's back and let Kaia slide into his arms. His heart stuttered some when her slack arm flopped out of the blanket. Was she…? After a second, he saw why. The girl curled up against his chest and, sighing softly, tucked her head under his chin. Her eyes were shut- -she was deep asleep.

Just that nearly set off some tears, but he gritted his teeth and ignored the stinging. Ino had taken out her little booklet and was shining a penlight at it. After a second, she nodded and stowed away both items.

"Okay, the hospital's this way." Ino gestured off to the right. "We should make it there in ten or fifteen minutes."

"Sounds good."

She paused, a soft smile curving her lips. "Do you want me to take Kaia?"

"_No_," he said, too quickly, too loudly, and Kaia stirred in her slumber. He repeated himself, softer, "No. I have her."

Ino's smile had morphed into a smirk at that point, but really, Kiba didn't mind as he leapt over the roofs behind his partner. There wasn't any rule saying that Inuzukas were absolutely _forbidden _to get gooey over a young girl. And his badass reputation had held solid now for more years than he could count, so he thought he could get away with it. Somehow, he knew Ino would tease him in that clever way of hers down the line after this nightmare assignment ended.

Just as she predicted, they arrived at the hospital within ten minutes of entering the town. The hospital was older, a bit shabby, but when they entered the lobby, they were attended immediately and led to a room when Ino handed the secretary the documents officiating her position. He settled Kaia on the sterile white of sheets and stepped outside the door feeling edgy and cooped-up.

The fluorescent lights shone on Ino's face harshly. He noted the dribbles of dried blood from her head wound, streaking back from her hairline where she'd wiped it away.

"I'm going to examine Kaia. It'll take some time," she said, fishing out the booklet and handing it to him with the compass, "so you need to contact the police. Lead them to the prisoner and show them his," her mouth tightened, "_field._ Answer any questions they have, then come immediately here. We'll notify Mr. and Mrs. Takahashi together."

He nodded, silently playing through his fantasy of executing their 'prisoner', clean and easy with a kunai to the spinal cord. Ino's hand on his shoulder brought his gaze to her. She looked at him, her brows furrowed.

"Don't do anything stupid." The sharp bite of her nails through his jacket. "We have our orders, and I _will not_ respect you if kill _him_."

Those were words he understood; she'd cut off their relationship completely- -partnership, rivalry, whatever it was, it didn't matter- -Ino would not even acknowledge his existence. But when he brushed by her to stalk down the hallway, he still hadn't made up his mind what he was gonna do.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm not sure how many more parts there will be, but a Part Three definitely, and maybe, _maybe _a Part Four. We'll see. Leave me some love, y'all. =)


	3. PART THREE

**A/N:** At last, the stunning last chapter of this story. Enjoy.

* * *

**~The Darker Garden~**

**PART THREE**

* * *

When he got to the sidewalk outside the hospital, Kiba stopped. What was he going to do? He should do the right thing. But did the right thing entail killing Kaia's attacker outright, or letting that scum live long enough to go on trial and rot in prison?

Frowning, he leaned against the rough brick of the hospital's wall to scratch at his hands and forearms, torn between following orders and doling out justice. Ino was inside the hospital, examining Kaia, and he felt he knew what she was going to find. Closing his eyes, he inhaled the night air, thick with moisture and the multitude of different scents, and searched for an answer. What if 'Lester' was acquitted? Or there wasn't substantial enough evidence? Or what if the court was corrupt?

A growl rumbled around in his chest. Too many variables. Too many chances for 'Lester' to wiggle his slimy way free. Disgusting. And his skin continued to crawl unpleasantly; he suppressed the sensation as best he could, but he couldn't think clearly.

Kiba opened his eyes. Was he, or was he _not _a shinobi of the Leaf? Maybe he could ask around, judge the quality of the justice system of the town. Ah, but that would be a prolonged investigation, and there wasn't time enough before their mission ended to do a decent job.

And what about Ino? Would she share in his drive to see that Lester received justice? Maybe she would; maybe she wouldn't. Ino was never one to be predictable. He could possibly send her on ahead, while he and Akamaru hung back to investigate. But if she went to Lady Hokage alone, they were both fucked for breaking standard operating procedures.

He squeezed the bridge of his nose. Well, nothing was getting done standing around here. His primary objective was to locate the police headquarters and lead them to the sick fuck's hideout. And he'd left Akamaru alone long enough. A chill of worry crept down Kiba's spine.

"Okay," he told himself, huffing. "Get it done."

Finding the central police station was a matter of orienting himself from the hospital and taking the most direct route over the rooftops. He did _not _want to deal with the throngs of people reveling in the streets; no, what he _wanted _was for the goddamn itching to stop. Hands clenched into fists.

When he arrived at the police station, he expected quiet darkness, not the full blaze of lights and the hustle and bustle of daytime hours. It was after midnight on a weekday. He entered through the heavy wooden doors, found the head honcho, explained everything and was told to wait out front for the police squad to gather. Quickly he made way to the front of the building, where he loitered for the captain and the men he would lead into the forest to Akamaru's position. They arrived a few minutes later: gruff, stocky men similarly armed with katanas.

"I'm Captain Kuromaru." The captain brought up the rear, his bald head the only difference marking him from his officers. "We're ready, sir."

Kiba pointed in the direction they'd be going. "We'll avoid the main streets if possible. The suspect's hideout is several miles from your east gate in a clearing. I've already bound and disarmed him and left a guard with him. Follow me and keep up."

Without further acknowledgement, Kiba jogged down the street and listened to the steady footsteps and steady breathing keeping in time with his. Long minutes passed. He had a general sense of direction from jumping over the rooftops and knew which streets were populated and which were clear. Even though he followed a near-direct path, familiar impatience bubbled up. They weren't even halfway to the gate yet. Seriously, this was taking forever. The chill of anxiety returned. He couldn't help wondering. What if Lester broke free of his binds? Akamaru could handle himself, surely. Yeah, there was nothing to worry about. But what _if_?

A few more minutes passed as he and the squad wound through the back streets; the close-together buildings casting them in darkness broken only by the glow of streetlamps. A cool dampness from the night had descended. The crowd and its noise was everywhere. Akamaru was fine by himself, right? But what if Lester had help? An outside guy? Or guys?

Nah. That wasn't the case. There'd been no other scents except Lester's. No other accomplices. He shook the thought but the worry had planted a seed in his head and it would not be uprooted. The vines of it curled up, thick and invasive, smothering out rational thought. The itching, which had been a mild annoyance thus far, flared up, painfully this time, like his skin had dried and cracked apart, nerve-endings splitting and hissing. He clamped hard on his tongue to keep from whimpering and forced himself to concentrate on reaching the east gate.

Agonizing minutes ticked as Kiba led the troop into the cool, dark blue of the forest, beating a straight path to Akamaru's location. His anxiety was in vain. There sat Akamaru, unruffled, patiently on guard over the hog-tied prisoner.

_Good to see you, partner._ Akamaru's tail wagged in greeting. He accepted a chin scratch with loving eyes. _Everything go well on Ino's end?_

"Yeah." Scratching Akamaru alleviated the voracious itching in his own hands. "She's at the hospital. Told me to meet 'er there when we were finished here."

The dog nodded, and Kiba turned to speak to the captain of the squad, in order to lead him to the grave site. The squad motioned at two other men and they fell into a loose formation to follow Kiba down the animal trail, through the stark, withered trees to the field. The stink of death clogged his nose, strangled him, and a hot flash broke out cold sweat as his gorge rose. His leaving and coming back strengthened the potency of it so that the queasiness he hadn't felt before shuddered through him full-force.

Kiba gestured and spoke to the captain. "Each of these stones marks a grave. I uncovered this one victim, killed prior to Kaia's kidnapping, so I assume there will be other bodies. Is there anything else you need?" _Please, dear God, let them say no so I can puke without anyone seeing_.

The captain assured him that everything would be handled and there was no need for further shinobi presence. Without pressing the issue, Kiba dodged deeper into the forest until he couldn't hear the men's voices or their rustling clothes, leaned over and retched. It felt like his stomach wanted to turn inside out. Hours had passed since his last meal, so everything had been digested, at least. He dry-heaved bile, but still…ugh. He allowed a few more moments to calm his stomach before rinsing out his mouth with water. The back of his throat burned and the acidic taste lingered on his tongue.

His stomach was better, not great, but better, and he thought he'd be able to travel. Kiba returned to the shack and gestured for Akamaru to follow. Clustered groups of police officers investigated the shack and surrounding area for more evidence. But Kiba didn't feel like dealing with this any longer. Together, he and Akamaru leapt to the trees boughs to travel back to the village to meet with Ino. His upset stomach had been the least of his worries. The crawling skin continued to bug him, the idea of writhing little maggots burrowing into flesh sickening him to dizziness. He had to stop for a moment to steady himself- -the world spun out of control. That did _not _help his stomach.

Akamaru bumped closer to his master and snuffled. _What's wrong? You're really pale! Are you sick?_

The questions served to agitate Kiba into growling. "I'm fine. Let's go." Unsteadily, but too prideful to ask for a ride, he continued on. A long silence followed him until he heard the beat of Akamaru's paws on the branches. His dog must've sensed Kiba's need for privacy because there was no more conversation to the village hospital. That was good, mainly because Kiba didn't think he'd be able to uphold an intelligent conversation with concentrating so fiercely on staying upright.

Ino waited for them outside, and in the yellowed pools of light, she looked worn and haggard. She smiled tiredly at them, greeting Akamaru with an outstretched hand, which the dog licked and nuzzled. She had healed the slight head wound she'd obtained but the evidence still remained. Kiba busied himself with clenching and unclenching his hands on the inside of his pockets; he'd have to wash his hands, vigorously scrub them, to stop the millions of little bites. Coolly, he leaned against the brick wall to avoid falling face-first to the cement.

"Well," she said, "how'd it go?"

"The guy's in police custody," he told her. "It's pretty late. Did you want to get some shut eye before notifying the family?"

She shook her head. "We'll notify them now. I have a feeling they're waiting up. Hey," her warm, nurturing hands cupped the sides of his face to turn him toward some dim light, "you look peaky. You okay?"

"Everything's good."

Her eyes, though shadowed in dark, took him in, and her thumbs gently traced the tops of his clan marks. "I see. Let's go, then." Her hands dropped and he missed them like he missed home.

As a unit they dashed to the rooftops for an abbreviated journey to the neighborhood. The nighttime festivities had quieted some, but there were small packs of people scattered about on the streets below. The majority, Kiba could smell, were clustered inside, drinking sake or ale and singing off-key. He found he had a headache on top of a sloshing stomach on top of weird itchy hands on top of…yeah. You get it. When they landed in the Takahashi's yard, Kiba took a hold of Ino's arm, unable to suppress the touch.

"I'll wait out here with Akamaru, if that's okay," he said.

She considered him a moment. "Okay. I'll be out as quick as I can."

Then she strode up the stoop stairs and knocked at the door. Kiba settled on the roof of the place, staring across the darkened homes to the lights of the town. Clouds had rolled in sometime over the course of the night and all the stars were hidden from view. To occupy his time- -and to avoid scratching himself- -he petted Akamaru, who'd rested his heavy-ass head on Kiba's lap. The section of roof spread out under another set of windows and was flat enough to comfortably keep balance, so when Kana approached him from behind- -having stood at the window for five minutes and finally screwed up her courage enough, he guessed- -he was confident she'd be all right and not fall.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked her. Akamaru remained unmoving and relaxed.

She made a tiny 'eep!' sound. "H-how'd you know I was here?"

"Same reason I knew where to find yer sister," he told her. "I'm trained for it."

"Oh." Hesitantly, she stepped beside him, and when he didn't admonish her, she sat. "Did you really find Kaia?"

"We did. She's at the hospital recovering. I'm sure you and yers can visit her tomorrow," he continued, glancing over at her. She'd huddled up under a blanket, her knees drawn up to her chin. She seemed such a small, fragile thing. "Ino checked her over."

"That's the lady you're with," Kana said. Her face peeked up at him. "She seemed really nice."

Kiba snorted. "Mostly."

"Oh." Her scent changed; she was embarrassed about something. Then she said, "Are you married to her?"

He laughed outright and some time passed before he was able to answer her. "No."

Kana groaned. "I'm sorry. I just thought that-"

"I know," Kiba said, and gently patted her head. "We're a good team. It makes sense."

"Yeah." Another considerable pause. "Do you think…do you think Kaia will be okay? Mama says she might not be herself when she gets back."

Kiba thought for a moment. "Only time will tell. You'll have to keep an eye on her, but I think she'll turn out fine." Some movement inside the house drew Kiba's attention. He gestured to the window. "You ought to get back to bed. Seems I'll be leaving here soon, and I betcha yer mom'll check up on you before long."

The girl got to her feet. "Thank you. Thank you so much," she said and swept herself over the windowsill into her dark bedroom.

He waited until she'd settled into her bed- -the rustling of bed sheets and her slowed breathing- -before hopping with Akamaru to the front lawn so they could meet Ino on her way out. She didn't disappoint. The front door opened and closed, and Ino flounced down the front steps to stand in front of them. Something inside him licked its chops at her cut figure in the light his eyes seemed able to pick up.

"You guys ready? I thought we'd take a night at an inn, if there are any available," she said. She smoothed a hand over her hair. "I could use a hot shower and some time to sort out my feelings."

"Sounds good, sweetcheeks," he replied. He saw the white of her eyes when she rolled them. "After you."

She didn't snap back, an indication of how tired she was, and they traversed with leaps and quick sprints over the roofs to the town. His body, oddly enough, reacted to Ino's presence, her scent. A slow, bright light had sparked deep inside him, a hot flare of desire that quickly reached a zenith. He knew the arousal was lust-driven. He'd been wanting after Ino for some time, but even as he knew the feeling, the urge, he couldn't understand it. His want for her hadn't peeked from its hiding spot since they'd arrived at the town, so why now?

The breeze shifted. Her scent wrapped a fist around him, a mix of pheromones and exertion and very clearly an image inserted itself in his brain of Ino's pale skin shiny with sweat, her naked with those perfect breasts and toned stomach splayed out in front of him, her hair spread like spun gold around her head, and he was _fucking _her as she screamed…

Tripping saved him from possibly blowing a wad in his pants. He recovered, muttered, "I'm fine," when Ino glanced back at him and concentrated on evening out his thumping heart. He ached all over. Trailing behind her was agony when all he could think of was taking her mouth with his, of shoving his hand up her shirt to the swell of breasts.

She stopped on the edge of a building that lined the main street of the town, where most of the partiers reveled, and gestured outwards with her hand. "Take your pick."

"I don't care," he replied, licking his dry lips. He stayed some distance from her for fear of tackling her to the ground. "Whichever one suits you."

"All right." A breeze rose and tangled her pale stream of hair. He imagined stroking his fingers through it or of kissing her fingers as she held them against the side of her face to shield her eyes. "Does Akamaru have a preference?"

Kiba eyed Akamaru, who shrugged in his doggy way. "Nah," Kiba said. "He doesn't care either."

In the darkness, he saw her flash a smile before jumping to street-level. He hesitated on the roof, to collect his wits, and Akamaru nuzzled his hand.

_You're jonesing for her,_ Akamaru grunted. _I'll keep out of your way once you two've settled in._

"What? The feeling's not mutual," Kiba replied, embarrassed. "She doesn't…want me like _that_."

Akamaru huffed. _Yeah, she does. You tellin' me you didn't notice it?_

"Hey! You guys coming or what?" Ino called from the street. She waved them down.

_Had _he not noticed Ino's feelings? With Akamaru at his side, he hopped down beside her and tagged along as she walked purposefully along the street. The idea that she might want him as much as he wanted her niggled at him, gave him something to hope for. But he had to be careful. It could be that he needed some type of stress-relief and she was convenient. He did not want her to be a convenience because that would complicate their already complicated relationship. They had circled and snapped at each other for as long as he could remember; neither had instigated a romantic or sexual relationship with the other. And why was that? For the life of him, he couldn't remember.

The ache, the flash-bang of heat inside him, didn't help his thinking. His lust for her had grown so much that it overtook his reason, his clarity of thought, and his discipline. At one point she bumped into him, and he nearly shoved her against the wall and ripped off her clothes. After a couple different places, which were fully booked, they found an inn that had a room open, but it was a single.

"Whatever," he told Ino when she asked, "I'm sick of tramping around."

She nodded and accepted the room key. Their room was on the top floor with sliding doors to a balcony. Immediately, Akamaru occupied the cool floor outside the fluttering curtains once Kiba had opened the doors and dumped the backpack near the bathroom door. Between his shoulders was an enormous tension knot; in fact, he felt like his whole body was in a tight knot over his attraction to Ino. But he couldn't be sure if she would appreciate him putting the moves on her.

"Do you mind if I go first?" Ino asked him.

"Just don't use all the hot water, sweetcheeks."

Her lips twisted in a wicked smirk. "Will you spank me if I do?"

_Whoa._ Flirting? Hell, yes, this was the opportunity he'd been looking for. "I might even if you don't." He held his breath for her response.

"Hm. Sounds promising."

With that, she hoisted the backpack and disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Kiba to flop on the bed and seethe in an agony of waiting and horniness. She'd given him the all-clear for starting a new facet on their love/hate relationship. He worked to get himself under control. If they did end up in bed together, he wanted to make sure he impressed her by not coming two seconds inside her. His hormones were in a tizzy, so he seriously considered a cold shower to calm everything down. Maybe a bit of hand play.

He listened to the water run in the bathroom, and under the constant sound, he heard Ino humming. Her humming was gentle, soothing, and he hadn't even realized he'd fallen into a hard sleep until Ino shook him awake so he could shower. Groggily, he rolled over and stumbled to the bathroom, which was moist from steam and fragrant with Ino's shampoo and soap.

"Kiba," Ino said before he closed the door, "I'm waiting."

The weariness in his muscles forced him into taking a longer shower than he wanted. Had he had it his way, fastest shower _ever_. When he was through sloughing the grime off his skin, he brushed his teeth and pulled on a cotton shirt and drawers for decency's sake. Then he opened the bathroom door to Ino sprawled in the bed. Seriously, he must be dreaming.

"C'mon," she whispered. She flipped open the covers so he could climb in. He heard a sigh and the rustle of sheets as he lay back on the pillow. "You smell great."

His brain refused to allow him to think of anything else besides sex. Her arm fell across his chest, tugging him to his side, and when he complied, her soft mouth waited for him. Arousal had curled up inside him, resting for this moment when it could unfurl and strike him hard with aching heat. His hand reached out and found her hip silky smooth and bare and when had she stripped off her clothes? He didn't care. His need yawned open inside him and he drew Ino closer, intensifying their kiss so there was no physical or emotional space between them. Their tongues met, licked, stroked as hands caressed skin and curves and planes of hard muscle.

Ino fogged his senses. He could hear nothing but her. Smell nothing but her. Taste nothing but her. Everything clenched together, blazing forward to find all her secrets and make them his. Ino's body bowed under his- -he had pressed her underneath him- -and her hands shucked off his shirt and yanked down his shorts. His temperature was a million degrees, hot enough that Ino felt cool by comparison, but when he slipped a thigh between her legs, her core nearly melted his skin. She wiggled some and her dampness spread where her body touched his.

That feel, paired with her lust-laden scent, drove him mad. Slipping inside her was so, so easy and he panted from the strain of holding back an orgasm that seemed determined to explode him. He managed to keep a tenuous hold on controlling his movements; she groaned, shifting her hips, deepening his touch, and his whole body pulsated with the dip of his hips. Somewhere at the back of his head, he thought he should slow down and enjoy this more, but then a hot crest rose from his nutsack upwards to his gut. Ino's nails scraped over his shoulders, digging in as she cried out his name, and he couldn't stop from plunging into the wave of pleasure that swept over him. It was over too, too soon.

He panted, pulled free from her, and fell on his shoulder to the side. Sweat had broken out along his back and chest from exertion. Otherwise, lust's iron fist had finally released him from its grip. Ino scooted closer, likewise breathing hard. She smiled, and he noticed for the first time her loose hair draped over her arms. Her hand came up to trace the side of his face, ruffling his unruly hair between her fingers.

"Are you better?" she asked.

"Much." He couldn't help nodding his head forward to rest his forehead against hers. "Was I a pain in the ass to you?"

She laughed. "No. But I could tell that finding the dead body freaked you out."

"Yeah." There didn't seem to be much to say on the subject.

"I do have to tell you I rewired your brain," she said at length. "I'm sorry."

The indignation was there, but he was drowsy and exhausted and on a high from their sex. He could only generate mild annoyance and that took too much effort itself. "I should've figured."

"It's good though! Whenever you start thinking about it, instead of your itchy hands, I made it so you would, you know, feel…amorous."

He thought about that for a minute or two, as much as his soupy brain would allow and finally shrugged. "I could think of worse things."

"You're not…angry?"

"Nah. Too tired." But after a second, he amended, saying, "In the morning I might be."

"Maybe breakfast will fix matters?" She giggled when he tickled her. "Stop!"

He sighed, settling into the covers and closeness. "Shut up, sweetcheeks. Time to sleep."

"Just…be sure to wake me if you have bad dreams," she whispered to him.

Kiba heard what she had to say, but had sunk too far into sleep to murmur a reply.

* * *

**A/N:** I do have an Epilogue planned to better tie up all the loose ends, but expect it to be shorter than the previous parts. Hopefully, then, the story can be posted as 'Complete'! Now to finish up _Catching_...


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